So you’d assume I’d be loyal to my carrier. You know: the company that lets me mindlessly scroll Instagram, binge comedy podcasts and pester my boyfriend by text all day.
But I’m not. Honestly, I despise it. It’s pricey, the charges are confusing, and every time I leave a physical store I’m left annoyed.
I’ve investigated other carriers, but that journey raised some doubts. Like: Is this truly going to be better and cheaper than what I already have?
Today, I’m putting my skepticism (and occasional cynicism) to work to evaluate a budget cell phone option I’ve been hearing about recently: Pure TalkUSA.
Word is plans start at $20 a month and come with unlimited talk and text. No overage fees, either. Plus, you can snag 50% off your first month via Savinly.
Sounds almost unbelievable, I thought. So I began asking all the questions to assemble a thorough Pure TalkUSA review…
1. Service Will Be Shoddy, Right?
Coverage is my primary worry.
Remember those AT&T and Verizon ads with the colored maps? “See! All that color means coverage!” they declared, painting the map of America solid. With smaller discount carriers, I picture a scatter of coverage limited to big cities. That’s it.
I started digging to learn about Pure TalkUSA’s coverage.
Their site claims it runs on the largest 4G LTE GSM network. I Googled “GSM,” because, well, what does that actually mean? It’s a network type. Apparently Sprint and Verizon use CDMA while AT&T, T-Mobile and much of the globe use GSM.
Pure TalkUSA also providesa map. I was excited for the visual. I checked the data coverage, and most of the U.S. is shaded blue. That indicates access to AT&T’s faster network speeds.
That sounds promising!
2. Will I Be Stuck With One Low-Data Plan Option?
Pure TalkUSA advertises plans beginning at $20 a month.
Those plans include unlimited talk and text. The amount of data, though, is what matters.
It seems almost too inexpensive to be real. How much data does that price actually include? Turns out you have choices.
The cheapest plan is $20 a month and gives unlimited talk and text plus 2GB of data. At the other end, the priciest plan is $55 a month and includes unlimited talk, text anddata. Not terrible, right?
But say I pick a middle option: $30 a month for unlimited talk and text and 6GB of data. That brings up my next, possibly most important question…
3. What If I Use All My Data?
This is arguably the most critical concern. I don’t want to be slapped with $15 charges every time I exceed my allotment.
So we’ve confirmed Pure TalkUSA plans include unlimited talk and text (including picture messages). But what happens with data?
The carrier promises it won’t simply cut off your data or charge overage fees. Instead, when you reach your monthly limit, your speeds will be throttled to 128 kbps (kilobits per second).
I researched that. Apparently, 128 kbps isn’t awful — it’s just much slower.
Once your billing month resets, your full data allotment returns!
4. Can I Keep Fam in My Plan?
This is a definite yes! In fact, adding family members to your account increases your discount.
For example, adding a second line gives you 10% off your overall bill. Add a third line and receive 15% off. Add a fourth line — or more — and you’ll get 20% removed from your bill.
For instance, if three people are on the $30 plan, that’s about $90 monthly. But with a 15% discount, you’d be paying $25.50 per line.
Hey, every little saving counts.
5. Will I Need to Buy a New Phone and Get a New Number?
Nope! This is a BYOP setup (Bring Your Own Phone). You can also retain your current phone number.
Of course, you can purchase phones through Pure TalkUSA. But if you already have a working iPhone or Android, verify it’s compatible (and unlocked).
6. How Do I Make the Switch?
Perhaps the nicest part of Pure TalkUSA is you don’t need to visit a store to switch; the whole process is online.
Pure TalkUSA walks you through signing up:
- Pick your plan. (Refer to the ones I mentioned above.)
- Choose a phone — or bring your own if it’s compatible and unlocked. If you bring your own, the SIM card costs $3. This is a one-time charge.
- Decide whether to add additional lines. Then pay.
- Pure TalkUSA mails you a SIM card (and phone, if ordered).
- When you receive your SIM, insert it into your device and activate online (or call customer support).
Now you’re all set!
7. But What if I Hate Pure TalkUSA?
Don’t worry. Because there’s no long-term contract, you can cancel anytime. The company offers a 30-day risk-free guarantee, meaning if you cancel within 30 days you can receive a refund.
If you still like this bargain cell phone option after my interrogation (I’m somewhat impressed), you can read more and sign up online.
And hey, don’t forget that special 50% off promotion!
Avery Brooks (@AveryBrooks) is a staff writer at Savinly. This is the closest she’s been to jumping ship from her carrier… She might just make the switch.
